Wondering about the benefits/risks of using these. My dsd's doctor just recommended we try them after suggesting she might be having an allergic reaction to the q-tips she uses.

Dsd has asthma and many environmental allergies (dust, pollen, animal dander). She is a very "syrupy" girl. Seems to always have a runny nose, itchy watery red eyes, frequent sties in her eyes, itcy tickly throat, and itchy sometimes goopy ears. Her mom is into conventional medicine, so dsd gets treated with antibiotics, steroids, eye drops, ear drops, vaccines, and asthma medication a given of course.

The last year or two, she's had problems with her ears. Got an infection which was treated with antibiotic ear cream applied with a swab. She had smelly discharge from the ear, it was itchy and painful. Infection returned a few months later with wetness and itchiness. It was treated again same way. Now, several months later, she's still got very itchy wet ears. At her annual physical last week, the doctor said both ears now are "crusty" and recommended the new swabs.

I'm concerned because antimicrobial products/medicines result in more resistant microbes. Also concerned because if antibiotic creams didn't do the trick why would swabs? Also concerned because dsd inserts swabs into her ears daily (sometimes a few times a day) and digs around pretty deep itching and soaking up the fluid. Has been doing this for about a year.

I think maybe it's time to see an ear specialist, but dh does not agree. Thinks we should buy a box of swabs. Hoping someone else had experience with the antimicrobial swabs or at least experience with itchy, wet allergy related ears and had success eliminating symptoms.